PRAYER

YTP · Guru

PRAYER

abre les ojos · Guru

YTP wrote:

Please don't bite my head off and inform me where this topic should be.........but i have a burning issue that needs your constructive input. On prayer, we always say that when two or more are gathered in it(prayer), the holy spirit is there and hence anything can happen so my question to you is; does that mean if one is praying by oneself the holy spirit isnt present? And does it matter if you attend the services as long as you pray on your own?(Solitude?)

I tried a simple experiment. For one week I prayed to my left shoe. Asked it for everything that I presume people ask God in their prayer. The result is I realise that my prayers were answered with exactly the same success rate. Conclusion. Doesn't make any difference whatsoever where, how or to what you do it too.

...And this belongs under "religion".

Pope · Guru

abre les ojos wrote:

. ...And this belongs under "religion".

Which religion? The one that commands people to pray while naked? Check your pants they may be wet.

Pope · Guru

YTP wrote:

On prayer, we always say that when two or more are gathered in it(prayer), the holy spirit is there and hence anything can happen so my question to you is; does that mean if one is praying by oneself the holy spirit isnt present? And does it matter if you attend the services as long as you pray on your own?(Solitude?)

The holy spirit will be with you despite numbers and God will listen to your prayer.What matters is the gravity of your faith.You are encouraged to attend the services for some reasons.But it is not a must.For example a christian who is in a moslem dominated area,where there is no church structure will make his prayers in the house and the spirit will be with him.

YTP · Guru

abre les ojos wrote:

Please don't inform me where this topic should be.........but i have a burning issue that needs your constructive input. Abre wrote: I tried a simple experiment. For one week I prayed to my left shoe. Asked it for everything that I presume people ask God in their prayer. The result is I realise that my prayers were answered with exactly the same success rate. Conclusion. Doesn't make any difference whatsoever where, how or to what you do it too. ...And this belongs under "religion".

Just shows how we understand the postings above!!!! I thought you said you don't believe in anything and it's all science and coincidence to you?!!! Wonders will never cease!!!! Am glad to though to see some humanity in you...

Pope, thanks for the input. There's loads of christians around and there's a gathering place for Sundays but i see no big deal in going there cos i always believe that wherever you are, prayers will be heard so long as done in earnest. Sometimes a person might go down where everyone is just for gossip and thats nothing new.

-- Edited by YTP at 14:26, 2006-04-11

Pope · Guru

YTP wrote:

Sometimes a person might go down where everyone is just for gossip and thats nothing new.-- Edited by YTP at 14:26, 2006-04-11

Some would go just to show off their new car,shoe or fiancee.

abre les ojos · Guru

Sorry YTP I was paraphrasing a joke by the comedian George Carlin.

FYI I have a lot humanity in me. I am living proof that one doesn't need a belief in God to have "humanity". In fact I sincerely believe that one of the main pre-requisite of fighting prejudice is agnosticism. Or rather Humanism...

YTP · Guru

abre les ojos wrote:

In fact I sincerely believe that one of the main pre-requisite of fighting prejudice is agnosticism. Or rather Humanism...

How can agnosticism be one of the main pre-requisites of fighting prejudice? Without knowledge of any god can as well be in the same context as an atheist which, knowing you, isnt far from the truth but pliz enlighten me.

abre les ojos · Guru

The very notion of religion relies in the process of creating an "other". To define oneself religiously one has to be able to define what on is not. So for example the Jews defined the other as gentiles or Christians define the other as sinner or unsaved. So as opposed to equality it creates the opposite.

The result of course is the drive to convert the other. So anyone who doesn't comply is a sinner or of the devil. Evident in some of the names that I've been called on this forum.

YTP · Guru

No Abre, the result is not to convert the ones not with your faith but there's a belief in god and a not knowing whether such exists. We live in society where we have moslems, Hindus, and christians just to mention a few but its not our goal to convert into our faith.But then you either are a believer or not; hence theist and atheist...but to say anything about not knowing if there's any god is something else.Why then, when everything goes bad we always look at the end of the tunnel knowing that there's light? Agnostisicm is something i associate with atheisism even though there's a slight difference.....if worth noting at all.

Though humans are not supposed to judge, being called a devil may have to do with something evil and not not just religion. How you are as a person triggers evil or angellic characteristics. That's me anyway.

abre les ojos · Guru

"Humans are not supposed to judge"? Well, I don't accept that since it is in our very nature to do so as intelligent beings.

chichi · Senior Member

YTP wrote:

Please don't bite my head off and inform me where this topic should be.........but i have a burning issue that needs your constructive input. On prayer, we always say that when two or more are gathered in it(prayer), the holy spirit is there and hence anything can happen so my question to you is; does that mean if one is praying by oneself the holy spirit isnt present? And does it matter if you attend the services as long as you pray on your own?(Solitude?)

well YTP that saying of when two pple are gathered well its a very simple thing. Some pple get discouraged when they go some where to minister and they find only 1 or 2 pple in the church and that saying is only to remind u that u dont need a whole lot of pple for the Holy Spirit to be present or for God to hear u. When u pray the holy spirit is there and no matter what # of pple who are present with u as long as ur heart is in the right place. So if u r by urself or u have someone with u just remember that his ever there to hear ur prayer, and God will answer u according to ur need and at the right time. Our God is a God of order and his always on time so be patient and listen to his word.

abre les ojos · Guru

Sometimes i think you're just making this stuff up Chichi. Either that or you REALLY are deep into your fundamentalist stuff. I see someone who has confidence issues and is using it as a crutch to live through life. I might be totally wrong here but I can only speculate that the "feel good" factor or your religion is what keeps you believing in it.

You need to go out more.

chichi · Senior Member

I cant lie i do feel real good when i talk about God because his just real in my life but u wouldn't know anything about that. what i believe in is very real and only a person who has that deep understanding in God can know and experience the goodness and the richness he just brings to my life, and trust i probably go out more than ever did in your entire life. I do pray that one day u will experience what i am experiencing walking with God everyday u will see a huge difference and a big load will be lifted off ur shoulder.

peace

abre les ojos · Guru

Of course what you feel is real. i don't, can't dispute that. But it is real to YOU. You can't share your feelings with me or anyone else. You can describe them, act them out. But you can't convince me more than by your actions.

Even people with psychotic delusions believe that what they see is real.

What is real? We can philosophise all day long about that.

But I can say one thing for sure with conviction. Faith doesn't prove anything.

Ngale · Newbie

Chichi and all God fearing people, all you can do now is pray for those who haven't seen the light yet..or are transgressing. Ytp, God is always there whenever you think of Him because he said he will always be there whenever you call him, it doesn't matter how many you are but as long as you have faith, as you rightly stated somewhere that 'faith, even as small as a mustard seed can move a mountain'.....lest we forget that 'whoever rejects me in-front of people, shall also be rejected by my father in heaven'. Finally, please, argue with no fools for fear of ending up being a fool yourself.

Stay blessed.

abre les ojos · Guru

Ngale wrote:

Chichi and all God fearing people, all you can do now is pray for those who haven't seen the light yet..or are transgressing. Ytp, God is always there whenever you think of Him because he said he will always be there whenever you call him, it doesn't matter how many you are but as long as you have faith, as you rightly stated somewhere that 'faith, even as small as a mustard seed can move a mountain'.....lest we forget that 'whoever rejects me in-front of people, shall also be rejected by my father in heaven'. Finally, please, argue with no fools for fear of ending up being a fool yourself.
Stay blessed.

Idiot!